Seven Kinds of Smart

Author(s): Thomas Armstrong
ISBN: 0452281377

Based on psychologist Howard Gardner's pioneering theory of "multiple intelligences," the original edition of 7 Kinds of Smart identified seven distinct ways of being smart, including "word smart," "music smart," "logic smart," and "people smart." Now, with the addition of two new kinds of smart--"naturalist" and "existential"--7 Kinds of Smart offers even more interesting information about how the human psyche functions. Complete with checklists for determining one's strongest and weakest intelligences, exercises, practical tips for developing each type of smart, a revised bibliography for further reading, and a guide to related Internet sites, this book continues to be an essential resource, offering cutting-edge research for general consumption.

Geeks and Geezers

Author(s): Warren Bennis, Robert J. Thomas
ISBN: 1578515823

Leadership expert Warren Bennis and leadership consultant Robert Thomas set out to find out how era and values shape those who lead. Offers a useful, applicable model to those interested in developing their own leadership skills as well as those around them.

On Becoming a Leader

Author(s): Warren Bennis
ISBN: 0738208175

"For many years, Warren Bennis has persuasively argued that leaders are not born -- they are made...In a world increasingly defined by turbulence and uncertainty, the call to leadership is more urgent than ever. Featuring fresh, new commentary on the challenges and opportunities that leaders face today, this new edition of On Becoming a Leader will inspire the next generation of leaders and guide us into the future."

First Break All of the Rules

Author(s): Marcus Buckingham, Curt Coffman
ISBN: 0684852861

Citing a 25-year study of management practices, the Gallup Organization's Buckingham and Coffman offer unconventional approaches to tackling employee-retention issues. The authors advise managers to focus on sound human-relations practices instead of feel-good maxims and corporate perks.

Seeing What's Next: Using Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change

Author(s): Clayton M. Christensen, Erik A. Roth, Scott D. Anthony
ISBN: 1591391857

When a disruptive innovation is launched, it changes the entire industry and every firm operating within in This book argues that it is possible to predict which companies will win and which will lose in a specific situation-;and provides a practical framework for doing so. Most books on innovation-;including Christensen's previous two books-;approached innovation from the inside-out, showing firms how they can create innovations inside their own companies. This book is written from an outside-in perspective, showing how executives, investors, and analysts can assess the impact of a new innovation on the firms they have a vested interest in.

Built to Last

Author(s): Jim Collins, Jerry Porras
ISBN: 0060516402

Jim Collins and Jerry Porras begin their groundbreaking analysis of "visionary companies" with the following bold statement: "We believe every CEO, manager, and entrepreneur should read this book." Although their language may sound slightly hubristic, the authors actually deliver the promised goods: Written in eloquent and accessible language, Built to Last, the result of an extensive six-year research study conducted at Stanford University, is a classic business book that surely deserves the accolades critics, readers, and its creators have heaped upon it.

Managing At the Speed of Change

Author(s): Daryl R. Conner
ISBN: 0679406840

In this world of impermanent governments and topsy-turvy businesses, Yeats's line "the centre cannot hold" comes to mind as an apt description of our times. Taking advantage of this whirlwind of change is a plethora of "change doctors" who aid executives with their hyperdynamic responsibilities. Conner presents a well-reasoned, original approach to change management, relevant for any organization. Based on his extensive consulting experience, Conner describes the patterns of change, his unique principles of resilience, and the imperative that the change process be actively led by managers. More functional than either Rosabeth Moss Kanter's The Change Master (Touchstone, 1985) or Tom Peters's Thriving on Chaos ( LJ 10/15/87), this is a useful guide to managing change, especially for stressed-out managers. Highly recommended.

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Author(s): Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
ISBN: 0060920432

Aristotle observed 2300 years ago that more than anything men and women seek happiness. Csikszentmihalyi (psychology, Univ. of Chicago) has for 25 years made similar observations regarding "flow," a field of behavioral science examining connections between satisfaction and daily activities. A flow state ensues when one is engaged in self-controlled, goal-related, meaningful actions. Data regarding flow were collected on thousands of individuals, from mountain climbers to chess players. This thoroughly researched study is an intriguing look at the age-old problem of the pursuit of happiness and how, through conscious effort, we may more easily attain it. Recommended for general readers.
- Terry McMaster, Utica Coll. of Syracuse Univ. Lib., N.Y.

Making Innovation Work: How to Manage It, Measure It, and Profit from It

Author(s): Tony Davila, Marc J. Epstein, Robert Shelton
ISBN: 0131497863

"This is the book I wish I had read thirty years ago. Making Innovation Work is an important resource for leaders who are trying to improve innovation in their organizations. It's crammed with examples and practical ideas that can trigger improvements in innovation, starting tomorrow!"
—Lew Platt, Chairman of Boeing, former Chairman and CEO of HP, and former CEO of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates

The Seeds of Innovaiton

Author(s): Elaine Dundon
ISBN: 0814471463

Here, innovation thought leader Elaine Dundon offers a "how-to" prescription for building creative and strategic innovation skills at all levels of an organization (rather than focusing on decision-making levels only) -- and explains how to produce measurable results that translate directly to the bottom line

Changing Minds: The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People's Minds

Author(s): Howard Gardner
ISBN: 1578517095

Gardner, a psychologist and professor at Harvard, examines the factors involved in changing minds on significant issues, in politics, science, business and art. He identifies seven key elements, including reason, research and real world events, that are part of the decision-making process. Certain facets are more heavily weighted in some fields than others: "leaders of large groups often rely on the appreciable resources at their disposal but are buoyed or undercut by real world events," says Gardner (Frames of Mind), who believes this explains why a politician or a CEO will disregard advice in the face of larger issues and popular perceptions. To prove his theories, Gardner analyzes the behavior of several individuals including President Bush, Britain's Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, and South Africa's Nelson Mandela. Gardner doesn't limit his examination to politicians because he also believes that artists, writers, musicians and teachers can change people's minds. While the discussions and real-life examples are intriguing and do clarify Gardner's theories, the book doesn't fully deliver on its promise. Although Gardner does offer suggestions on how someone can influence others, he doesn't include a detailed prescriptive strategy for decision makers in the business world. Readers must draw out insights on their own, which, given the complexity of the material, may be difficult.

Discover Your Genius

Author(s): Michael Gelb
ISBN: 0066213762

Strategies for thinking smart drawn from Plato, Queen Elizabeth I, and more.

Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances

Author(s): J. Richard Hackman
ISBN: 1578513332

Teams have more talent and experience, more diverse resources, and greater operating flexibility than individual performers. So why do so many teams either struggle unpleasantly toward an unsatisfactory conclusion-or, worse, crash and burn shortly after launch? J. Richard Hackman, one of the world's leading experts on group and organizational behavior, argues that the answer to this puzzle is rooted in flawed thinking about team leadership. It is not a leader's management style that determines how well a team performs, but how well a leader designs and supports a team so that members can manage themselves . According to Hackman, cookie-cutter formulas and prescribed leadership styles often backfire because they place far too much emphasis on the leader as the primary cause of team behavior. In Leading Teams , he identifies the key conditions that any leader can put in place to increase the likelihood of team success-regardless of his or her personality or preferred style of operating. Through extensive research and compelling examples ranging from orchestras to economic analysts to airline cockpit crews, Hackman identifies five conditions that set the stage for great performances: a real team, a compelling direction, an enabling team structure, a supportive organizational context, and the availability of competent coaching. Leading Teams outlines what leaders can do to structure, support, and guide teams in a way that enhances the social processes essential to collective work; builds shared commitment, skills, and task-appropriate coordination strategies; helps members troubleshoot problems and spot emerging opportunities; and captures experiences and translates them into shared knowledge. Out of these conditions, Hackman argues, the very best teams emerge-teams that exceed client expectations, grow in capability over time, and contribute to the learning and personal fulfillment of individual members. Authoritative, practical, and astutely realistic, Leading Teams offers a new and provocative way of thinking about and leading work teams in any organizational setting. AUTHORBIO: J. Richard Hackman is the Cahners-Rabb Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology at Harvard University. He resides in Bethany, Connecticut, and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Jump Start Your Business Brain

Author(s): Doug Hall
ISBN: 1558706429

Creating Teams with an Edge

Author(s): Harvard Business School Press
ISBN: 159139290X

Creating Teams with an Edge: The Complete Skill Set to Build Powerful and Influential Teams can be a driving force for organizational performance-and managers can play a key role in teams' ultimate success or failure. Highlighting the latest research on team development and dynamics-and including hands-on tools for improving communication, resolving conflicts, promoting interdependence, and more-this guide will help managers at all levels to motivate teams to achieve higher performance. The Harvard Business Essentials series is for managers at all levels but is especially relevant for new managers. It offers on-the-spot guidance, coaching, and tools on the most relevant topics in business. Each book includes the critical information that managers need on a given topic-from budgeting to hiring to communication to strategy-and offers interactive tools and worksheets that translate advice into action. Providing ready answers to day-to-day issues, these guides make sound, trusted mentoring advice available whenever managers need it. Other Books in the HBE Series: Managing Change and Transition Hiring and Keeping the Best People Finance for Managers Business Communications Innovation Negotiation.

Leadership on the Line

Author(s): Ronald A. Heifetz, Martin Linsky
ISBN: 1578514371

Climbing Mount Everest: dangerous. Hitchhiking in Colombia: very dangerous. Leading through change: perilous. Perilous but possible, say Heifetz and Linsky in their encouragingly practical guide to putting yourself on the line and negotiating the hazards of leadership. As the authors acknowledge, many leadership books are "all about inspiration, but downplay the perspiration." This one doesn't. Leadership is always a risky business, but those risks can be understood and reduced. Effective leadership comes from doing more than the technical work of routine management; it involves adaptive work on the part of the leader, and a willingness to confront and disturb people, promote their resourcefulness, and engage their ability to adjust to new realities. But adaptive change always encounters resistance. Heifetz and Linsky examine four forms of resistance--marginalization, diversion, attack, and seduction--before presenting a number of practical resistance-response skills to nurture and employ. Some are fairly obvious (like developing and maintaining perspective, and holding steady in the midst of change), and others more complex (like thinking politically when dealing with friends, foes, and fence sitters), but shimmering nuggets of insight and practical wisdom can be found in each. The dangers of leadership also spring from within, however, and the book's final section addresses ways to recognize and manage competing "hungers" and learn to distinguish one's roles from one's self. The authors' points are illustrated by the experiences of leaders from all walks of life, making this a useful and inspiring manual for anyone hoping to put themselves on the line and make a difference in the lives of others. --S. Ketchum

The Medici Effect

Author(s): Frans Johansson
ISBN: 1591391865

Johansson, founder and former CEO of an enterprise software company, argues that innovations occur when people see beyond their expertise and approach situations actively, with an eye toward putting available materials together in new combinations. Because of ions, "the movement of people, the convergence of science, and the leap of computation," a wide range of materials available for new, recontextualized uses is becoming a norm rather than an exception, much as the Medici family of Renaissance Italy's patronage helped develop European arts and culture. For cases in point, Johansson profiles, among others, Marcus Samuelsson, the acclaimed chef at New York's Aquavit. An Ethiopian orphan, Samuelsson was adopted by a Swedish family, with whom he traveled widely, enabling him to develop the restaurant's unique and innovative menu. (Less familiar innovators include a medical resident who, nearly assaulted by an emergency room patient she was treating, developed outreach programs designed to prevent teen violence.) Chapters admonish readers to "Randomly Combine Concepts" and "Ignite an Explosion of Ideas." Less focused on innovations within a corporate setting than on individual achievements, and more concerned with self-starting and goal-setting than teamwork, Johansson's book offers a clear enough set of concepts for plugging in the specifics of one's own setting and expertise. But don't expect the book to tell you where to get the money for prototypes or production.

The Strategy-Focused Organization: How Balanced Scorecard Companies Thrive in the New Business Environment

Author(s): Robert S. Kaplan, David P. Norton
ISBN: 1578512506

In today's business environment, strategy has never been more important. Yet research shows that most companies fail to execute strategy successfully. Behind this abysmal track record lies an undeniable fact: many companies continue to use management processes-top-down, financially driven, and tactical-that were designed to run yesterday's organizations.

The Wisdom of Teams

Author(s): Jon Katzenbach, Douglas K. Smith
ISBN: 0060522003

The authors, who are both consultants, conducted extensive interviews with companies to discover how successful teams are created and sustained. The result is not a research report but a collection of minicase histories and commentary. Some of the findings: Teams respond to performance challenges and not to managers' exhortations for more "teamwork." Organizations committed to high-performance standards and willing to modify individual accountability requirements experience the greatest success with teams. Successful team leaders are not necessarily those with remarkable leadership qualities. Instead, they "simply need to believe in their purpose and their people." Team leaders do real work, remove obstacles, and build trust and confidence. Recommended for larger public libraries and special business collections.

The Art of Innovation

Author(s): Thomas Kelley, Jonathan Littman
ISBN: 0385499841

The award-winning design and development firm IDEO, which brought the world the Apple mouse, reveals its secrets to fostering innovative, out-of-the-box thinking across the world of business. In this handbook, the author outlines the steps IDEO and other successful companies use to achieve successful problem solving.

New Rules for the New Economy

Author(s): Kevin Kelly
ISBN: 014028060X

Kelly presents ten fundamental principles of the connected economy that invert the traditional wisdom of the industrial world. More than an overview of new economic principles, it prescribes clear and specific strategies for success.

Harvard Business Review on Change

Author(s): John P. Kotter
ISBN: 0875848842

Leading Minds and Landmark Ideas In An Easily Accessible Format From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series delivers the fundamental information today's professionals need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the seminal article, "Leading Change," by John Kotter to Paul Strebel on why employees so often resist change, Harvard Business Review on Change is the most comprehensive resource available for embracing corporate change--and using it to your company's greatest advantage. A Harvard Business Review Paperback.

The Heart of Change

Author(s): John Kotter, Dan S. Cohen
ISBN: 1578512549

The Heart of Change is the follow-up to John Kotter's enormously popular book Leading Change, in which he outlines a framework for implementing change that sidesteps many of the pitfalls common to organizations looking to turn themselves around. The essence of Kotter's message is this: the reason so many change initiatives fail is that they rely too much on "data gathering, analysis, report writing, and presentations" instead of a more creative approach aimed at grabbing the "feelings that motivate useful action." In The Heart of Change, Kotter, with the help of Dan Cohen, a partner at Deloitte Consulting, shows how his eight-step approach has worked at over 100 organizations. In just about every case, change happened because the players were led to "see" and "feel" the change. In one example, a sales representative underscores a sense of urgency to change a manufacturing process by showing a videotaped interview with an unhappy customer; in another, a purchasing manager makes his point to senior management about corporate waste by displaying on the company's boardroom table the 424 different kinds of gloves that the company had procured through different vendors at vastly different prices. Well written and loaded with real-life examples and practical advice, The Heart of Change towers over other change-management titles. Managers and employees at organizations both big and small will find much to draw from. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards

Teamwork: What Must Go Right/What Can Go Wrong

Author(s): Carl Larson
ISBN: 0803932901

The Learning Edge : "Team Work is one of the best and most concise handbooks on team management around. No one interested in teamwork should miss reading this guide."

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Author(s): Patrick Lencioni
ISBN: 0787960756

In keeping with the parable style, Lencioni (The Five Temptations of a CEO) begins by telling the fable of a woman who, as CEO of a struggling Silicon Valley firm, took control of a dysfunctional executive committee and helped its members succeed as a team. Story time over, Lencioni offers explicit instructions for overcoming the human behavioral tendencies that he says corrupt teams (absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to results). Succinct yet sympathetic, this guide will be a boon for those struggling with the inherent difficulties of leading a group.

The Life We Are Given

Author(s): George Leonard, Michael Murphy
ISBN: 0874777925

In this inspiring and practical book, the authors offer comprehensive, step-by-step instructions for joining body, mind, heart and soul in an evolutionary adventure that has powerful personal and social implications. The book celebrates the day-by-day joys of the path while opening fresh vistas to human futures.

The Power of Full Engagement

Author(s): Jim Loehr, Tony Schwartz
ISBN: 0743226747

Using their impressive work with athletes and corporate executives, Loehr and Schwartz lay out the new rules for getting exceptional results in any performance context. Instead of managing time, manage energy between performance sessions to maximize emotional recovery for the next time you push your personal limits. Don't rely on discipline alone; it takes too much effort to micromanage at every moment. What's needed are routines--effective and even rigid practices that optimize recovery between performance sessions. Narrated by the authors with understated passion for their ideas, this is one of the most important performance audios of the past 10 years.

Golf in the Kingdom

Author(s): Michael Murphy
ISBN: 0140195491

Esalen Institute founder Michael Murphy's divine meditation on the royal and ancient game defied categorization when it was first published in 1972, and it still does. Instantly hailed as a classic, Golf in the Kingdom is an altogether unique confluence of fiction, philosophy, myth, mysticism, enchantment, and golf instruction. The central character is a wily Scotsman named Shivas Irons, a golf professional by vocation and a shaman by design, whom Murphy, as participant in his own novel, meets in 1956 on the links of Burningbush, in Fife. The story of their round of golf together culminates in a wild night of whiskey and wisdom where, as Shivas demonstrates how the swing reflects the soul, their golf quite literally takes on a metaphysical glow. The events alter not only Murphy's game, but they also radically alter his mind and inner vision; it's truly unforgettable. For a golfer, Murphy's masterpiece is as essential as a set of clubs.

1001 Ways to Energize Employees

Author(s): Bob Nelson, Ken Blanchard, Barton Morris
ISBN: 0761101608

Take the brakes off your business. In the perfect follow-up to 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, the innovative book that has sold over one million copies, Bob Nelson reveals what real companies across America are doing to get the very best out of their employees-and why it's the key to their success. Energizing is listening-AT&T's Universal Card Service's employee suggestion system yields 1,200 ideas a month and millions of dollars in savings. Energizing is encouraging risk-taking-Hershey Foods gives out The Exalted Order of the Extended Neck Award. Energizing is Starbuck's making employees partners, Saturn creating teams that function as independent small businesses, Springfield Remanufacturing's opening its books to all employees.
With case studies, examples, techniques, research highlights, and quotes from business leaders, 1001 WAYS TO ENERGIZE EMPLOYEES is invaluable for managers seeking to increase employee enthusiasm and involvement.

The Ant and the Elephant

Author(s): Vince Poscente
ISBN: 1893430146

Our ant is the intentional part of the brain, but our elephant is the instinctual, impulsive part of the brain that houses emotions and memories and even guides the body to perform vital functions. We often overlook the power of our elephantine subconscious minds. Having seen too many books focused on what a problem or solution is and too few focused on how to solve the problem, Poscente, with his trademark wit, wisdom and steely resolve, created The Ant and the Elephant . Leadership for the Self: A Parable and Five-Step Action Plan to Transform Workplace Performance.

Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time

Author(s): Howard Schultz, Dori Jones Yang
ISBN: 786883561

The vision came to Schultz while traveling through Italy, when he recognized the intense relationship that the Italian people had not only with their coffee, but with the coffee bars that are an integral part of the country's social life. He knew in his heart that Americans would embrace the coffee bar experience in the same way. The idea was the beginning - and the marketing of the brand was brilliant.

The Fifth Discipline Field Book

Author(s): Peter M. Senge, Bryan Smigh & Richard B. Ross
ISBN: 0385472560

The Fieldbook is an intensely pragmatic guide. It shows how to create an organization of learners where memories are brought to life, where collaboration is the lifeblood of every endeavor, and where the tough questions are fearlessly asked. The stories here show that companies, businesses, schools, agencies, and even communities can undo their "learning disabilities" and achieve superior performance.

Talking from 9 to 5: Women and Men at Work

Author(s): Deborah Tannen
ISBN: 0380717832

Tannen probes the way gender roles shape the ways men and women communicate in the workplace, and how these differences lead to misunderstandings.

The Design of Things to Come

Author(s): Craig Vogel, Jonathan Cagan, Peter Boatwright
ISBN: 0131860828

"Much is being written about innovation that is of little utility to corporate managers, but this new book by Vogel, Cagan, and Boatwright is definitely worth reading. It disaggregates the broad concept of "innovation" into usable ideas and strategies that can be implemented. Whether it's the notion that manufacturing quality is the new commodity or designing for customer desire, this book breaks through all the chatter about innovation and deals with what's crucial for managers in their day-to-day work lives. I learned a great deal about innovation and design from it."

—Bruce Nussbaum, Editorial Page Editor, Business Week

Managing the Unexpected

Author(s): Karl E. Weick, Kathleen M. Sutcliffe
ISBN: 0787956279

One of the great challenges any business or organization can face is how to deal with the unexpected. While traditional managerial practices such as planning are designed to manage unexpected threats, they often make things worse. How do you organize for high performance in a setting where the potential for error and disaster is overwhelming? In this book, the ninth in the University of Michigan Business School Management Series, Karl Weick and Kathleen Sutcliffe look to high reliability organizations (HROs) -- aircraft carriers, nuclear power plants, firefighting crews, and others -- for the answer.